Manama, Aug. 14. (BNA) –His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today addressed Bahraini citizens on the last ten days of the Holy month of Ramadan.
In his address, HM King Hamad affirmed his commitment to progress, prosperity, good governance and laying down the foundations of genuine democracy within the framework of our values, principles, and national tenets.

His Majesty also recognized the role that dialogue has played in the past and the role it can play in shaping the Kingdom’s future and progress towards democracy, stating that “numerous past experiences taught us that dialogue is the path which helps achieve our hopes and aspirations. It is through dialogue that we have unified our patriotic stances in the face of any external threat or interference. Through dialogue we have laid down appropriate foundations for our constitutional system. We have even written our constitution together. Then through dialogue, we concurred on our National Charter and modernization of the constitution. In the past year, the National Dialogue succeeded in accomplishing many of our socio-political aspirations building on what we had already achieved. So, what prevents us from continuing to build on what we have already achieved?”

His Majesty also commended the unified and patriotic stances of the citizens in the face of the difficult challenges endured this year, stating that “We have been quite alert and well aware of hostile ambitions that could come from without the country. However, we are not unaware of our internal problems and we have always striven to solve and overcome them like other countries that respect their peoples and seek what is in their best interest and welfare”.

“We diligently seek to solve [our people’s] problems, improve their conditions and raise their standards without any discrimination or exclusion of anybody under the rule of law, social justice and the principles of true citizenship,” HM the King also said, adding that “the Kingdom has become a state of institutions that guarantees and maintains rights, the law, the constitution and separation between authorities, democracy and human rights”.

On OIC Extraordinary Summit in Mecca, HM the King asserted that the Palestinian issue is the central issue for joint Islamic action and that it is imperative to work towards finding a comprehensive, permanent just solution for the issue.

HM King Hamad also expressed concern over the on-going violence in Syria, stating that it has become imperative to seriously contemplate the situation in all of its dimensions.

He also stressed the need to pool the efforts of the international community in order to find a political solution to the crisis, bring the violence to an end and restore and preserve the Syrian people’s unity and cohesion.

The following is the full text of HM King Hamad’s address to the nation:

“In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Most Merciful

“Gratitude is unto Allah and may peace of Allah be upon our master the messenger of Allah, and upon his family and companions.

Our dear people:

“It is our delight to speak to you during the last ten days of the holy month dedicated for communication, loving-kindness and forgiveness (The month of Ramadan in which the Qur'an was revealed, as guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of guidance, and criterion of right and wrong) and to thank Allah Who has helped us fast and perform nocturnal prayers, and revive the highest ethics of loving-kindness, spirituality, generosity, purity of heart from hatred and upholding the virtues of cooperation, serenity and peaceful co-existence.

“Undoubtedly, this holy month of Ramadan has been an opportunity for all of us to contemplate what binds our discourse and unifies our ranks in compliance with Allah's command: (O ye believers! Observe your duty to Allah with right observance, and die not except like those who have surrendered themselves unto Him. And hold fast, all of you together, to the tenets of Allah, and do not go separately).

“This month has been an opportunity to contemplate the meanings of brotherliness that binds us together as started by Islamic teachings, blood relation,and our beloved home the Kingdom of Bahrain with all of its territory, seas, waters and air. This brotherliness is one of lots of graces bestowed upon us by Allah and which we should observe, preserve, defend and protect from scammers, strife mongers or adventurous riskers of our national unity, cohesiveness and gains.

Allah said: (And guard yourselves against a chastisement which does not exclusively fall on those of you who are wrong-doers).

“The Kingdom of Bahrain has always remained throughout the ages a coveted place for the greedy, however, our people knew how to persistently tackle the enemy and to unite their ranks, consolidate their discourse and allegiance to the ruler and crush the ambitions of foes. (And Allah repulsed the disbelievers in their wrath; they gained no good. Allah averted their attack from the believers. Allah is verily the Omnipotent and the Almighty.)

“We have had to endure this year through challenging conditions due to hostile ambitions and foreign intervention whichare yet to cease. We stood as united front in the face of strife mongers. We faced them with determination and persistent willpower as our duty and responsibility makes it imperative to defend this homeland, we will maintain our national unity and protect Bahraini people. During the zenith of such difficulties, we upheld wisdom, patience and forbearance and opened the doors for dialogue and called for forgiveness and tolerance as we rely on Allah alone and trust in His guaranteed victory.

“Nevertheless, we have been quite alert and well aware of hostile ambitions that could come from outside of the country. However. we are not unaware of our internal problems and we have always striven to solve and overcome them like other countries which respect their peoples’ and seek what is in their best interest and welfare.

“The Kingdom of Bahrain, thanks to Allah, and by virtue of the efforts of its faithful men and women.has become an institutionalized state which maintains rights, law, constitution and differentiates between authorities, democracy and human rights.

“Therefore, nobody is above the law nor should anyone supersede constitutional institutions. Anyone who attempts to commit that error, will answer to the law.

“Numerous past experiences taught us that dialogue is the path which helps achieve our hopes and aspirations. It is through dialogue that we have unified our patriotic stances in the face of any external threat or interference. Through dialogue we have laid down appropriate foundations for our constitutional system. We evenwrote our constitution together. Then through dialogue, we concurred on our National Charter and modernization of the constitution. In the past year, the National Dialogue succeeded in accomplishing many of our socio-political aspirations building on what we had already achieved. So, what prevents us from continuing to build on what we have already achieved?

“Today, we have improved more than yesterday in all spheres. Nobody can deny this except those who are mistaken. Our standing tomorrow would improve with divine providence, and through mutually agreed opinion and requisite understanding. This path is not new to us. Certainly, it is the sole right path which has helped our dear motherland to proceed forward in the process of real reform, development and growth. So, do follow this path unwaveringly. For it is upon divine help that we will succeed in surmounting this phase to reach the brightest morrow reliant upon Allah.

“Also, it is our duty to protect peaceful, good-natured citizens who do not seek to usurp power nor wreak corruption on earth. We listen to their complaints, we understand their circumstances and we diligently seek to solve their problems and improve their conditions and raise their standards without any discrimination or exclusion of anybody under the rule of law, social justice and the principles of true citizenship.

“Our kingdom thanks to Allah's help has gone far strides in terms of socio-economic and cultural development and laid down the pillars of democracy and human rights. We will pursue this path reliant upon divine willpower with unwavering determination. We put our hand in the hands of every one of you while we are observant and aware of our rights and duties and we put our faith Allah our Lord and we are proud of the genius, loyalty and faithfulness of our people.

“We are determined to accomplish our people's aspirations in terms of renaissance, progress, prosperity, justice, good governance and resistance of all sorts of corruption and we will lay down the foundations of genuine democracy inside the framework of our religious beliefs and national tenets and the uniqueness of our community.

Our dear people:

“On the occasion of convening the OIC Extraordinary Summit in Mecca upon a generous invitation extended by our brother the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud we would like to reiterate that the Palestinian issue is the central issue for joint Islamic action and it is imperative to work seriously for the sake of finding a comprehensive, permanent just solution for this issue by creating a viable independent Palestinian State with a capital in the holy Al-Quds in compliance with UN resolutions, the Arab peace initiative and the resolutions of the International Quartet Commission. We have a deep worrisome feeling regarding the incidents in the holy places in Al-Quds in terms of violation of its sacredness and changing its identity which makes imperative on us to call the international community to practically enforce its resolutions in order to halt continuous Israeli encroachment against these places and the need to respect UN resolutions as well as international legacy principles and the Geneva conventions which ban the introducing of any geographic or demographic changes in territories under occupation.

“The unfortunate speedy developments in the Syrian arena which have continued for a year and a half so far non-stop and resulted in killing of tens of thousands of our brotherly Syrian people make it essential on us to stop to seriously contemplate its internal, regional and international dimensions and at the same time give due attention to the lawful demands of the Syrian people and to alleviate their humanitarian suffering and the need to gather the efforts of the international community in order to find a political solution to the crisis and to bring violence and bloodshed to and end and preserve Syria's unity and its people's cohesiveness.

“In these blessed last ten days of the holy month of Ramadan, I supplicate to Allah to return this occasion to all of us with divine blessedness, goodness, health and wellness and to preserve Bahrain and its people and unite the ranks of its offspring and to bestow upon us peace, security and serenity and to preserve this country from explicit and latent strife and may peace of Allah and His blessings be upon His Prophet Mohammed, his family and companions.